1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of top opening portfolios, preferably those having retractable handles and having a body which is constructed of high grade long wearing leather and is preferably lined with a suitable flexible leather lining, such leather portfolio being recognized as being long lasting and durable.
The invention is also in the field of unitary covered zipper and lock assemblies which is especially adapted for improving the security of brief cases and leather portfolios in which the sole top opening means is a zipper means which requires the use of a lock to discourage unauthorized entry into a central security compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The concept of covering a lock to protect it has long been recognized as a desirable security precaution and one example is shown in Norris, U.S. Pat. No. 1,843,619. Norris discloses a jacket of insulating material for a safe to prevent a burglar from using a blowtorch to open the safe but which leaves space for access to the combination so an authorized person may operate the combination lock.
It is common practice to provide a protecting lock for luggage and positioning it directly below the handle to thereby provide secured luggage opened only by the owner. The handle construction for the luggage is reinforced at the ends of the handle to accommodate heavy loads and so that it does not easily pull away from the top of the luggage. This handle problem is not encountered in portfolios which have insufficient capacity for heavy loads.
In O'Neil, U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,271, a strap is provided which is intended to prevent the clasp from opening due to accidental manipulation near the handle. However, the strap for the clasp placed at the top of a side opening piece of luggage is not comparable to a covered slide fastener which maintains the luggage in closed condition.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,195 to Dickler, there is shown tamper-proof backpack luggage made of plastic or molded fiberboard having a combination lock which is provided under the handle and further having straps fastened to the underside to permit the luggage to be carried on the back of the traveler. Dickler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,300 also shows a combination lock with a spring loaded latch similar to Dickler U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,195. The luggage is opened from the side while a portfolio is opened from the top.
As defined in both Merriam Webster 1974 Dictionary published by Pocket Books, New York, and Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, 1967, published by G. & C. Merriam Co., Springfield, Mssachusetts, "a portfolio consists of a potable case for paper and drawings."
Modern portfolios which are of the type which are provided with retractable handles, obviously can not be provided with a lock below a retractable handle as shown in the Dickler patent.
A covering has been provided for side opening luggage as shown in Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,360 wherein a protector portion is provided for only a part of the zipper at the side of the luggage but the entire zipper is not concealed.
Tapes or straps which help in opening a zipper section of a case are commonly found in camera cases and an example of such a strap is shown in Lerner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,117. Still another example of a tape for a zipper is shown in a pet bag, Bassett U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,079.
Covered zippers are widely used in garments, as for example as shown in Roche, U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,180 and in Abraham U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,778. These covered zippers are intended to bring the flexible fabric from each side of the fabric panel in abutting edge relation to obstruct the view of the zipper from the front or top. Such a split cover is shown in the Roche U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,180 and this is the type of cover which is widely used for pants. The Abraham fastener shows various embodiments of a covered slide fastener which are more sophisticated and for a double line of stitching at the abutting end. In both types of covered zippers, the most common complaint is that the cover gets caught at an edge in the zipper and cannot be easily separated.
Still another type of covering for a slide fastener is shown in a vacuum cleaner dust bag as described in the Purdy Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,930,659.
In the Purdy patent the edge of the covering can be caught in the zipper in just the same fashion as with the zippers used in clothing, e.g. men's pants, ladies dresses and the like.
This inherent characteristic of zippers covered with flexible cloth panels meeting at a common edge over the slide fastener joining line may have prevented progress in creating new forms of construction for portfolios designed to enhance the security of the contents by hiding the opening mechanisms from the view of unauthorized persons, and by providing security locking means which deter unauthorized entry.